1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and to a device suitable for the method for determining the age of consumers, which has the option of suggesting cosmetic products matched to the age.
2. Discussion of Background Information
The skin of a human changes over the course of a lifetime. At a young age, the skin generally presents itself as firm, smooth and evenly pigmented. With increasing age, this changes to a different extent from person to person.
Skin aging refers to the complex biological process of the change of the skin accompanying aging. Here, this does not only mean the chronological aging, but also the intrinsic aging, i.e. the genetically controlled reduced responsiveness of the skin cells. It cannot be influenced. In contrast to this, it is possible to influence the extrinsic factors (environmental factors such as UV light, chemical reagents, mechanical load). This is why in skin aging a distinction is made between the so-called “time aging” and the “environmental aging” (also referred to as “light aging”). Skin aging, which usually becomes visible in the form of wrinkles, starts at a different time from person to person; this can also be traced back to the lifestyle of the person: factors such as heat and coldness, stress, poor nutrition, and alcohol and nicotine consumption can accelerate the natural aging of the skin.
However, time aging of the skin is a result of exhausting the cell-division processes and undersupplying the cells. The skin develops deep wrinkles and furrows; its dry surface tends to tear and produce pseudo-scars; the epidermis becomes thinner, as a result of which the blood vessels appear even more prominently. The dryness of the old skin can be traced back to a reduced activity of the sebaceous glands: less fat is produced, the skin loses elasticity and is no longer as able to regenerate, which can, overall, even lead to wound-healing disorders.
For some people, time aging already starts in their mid-20s. The following text lists the most common symptoms of aging for different age groups. In this respect, it should be noted that these are only approximate values and do not apply to every person. The list relates to women—their aging begins approximately 10 years before that of men. However, in exchange, male skin aging proceeds more quickly.
From the age of 25 years old: the cell division already slows down at this age for some people. As a result of this, the epidermis becomes thinner and starts to lose its elasticity.
From the age of 30 years old: so-called glabellar lines can form between the eyes; they are brought about by our facial expressions. It is also possible for first nasolabial folds (wrinkles between nose and upper lip) to appear. Moreover, crow's feet form at the edge of the eyes. These are small lines which run toward the eyes and are the first visible sign of skin aging in many humans.
From the age of 40 years old: so-called crease lines appear in the face, which are small wrinkles that—as the name indicates—give the affected person a creased look. Other, already present wrinkles deepen and the skin starts to lose a lot of moisture. In women, the menopause—the end of menstruation—leaves its mark. The production of the estrogen hormone is reduced, and this has a number of consequences: amongst others, the skin becomes thinner and more sensitive.
From the age of 50 years old: the skin tension is reduced further. Liver spots appear; in these, the skin pigment melanin collects in one place and, as a result, lets dark spots appear.
However, the rough subdivision into various aging stages of skin aging illustrated above is not applicable to every human. In particular, the lifestyle of the individual, and his or her ethnicity, has a decisive influence on the development of the aforementioned features, and so this may result in a difference between the true age and the skin age.
Regular application of cosmetic care products brings about an improvement in the skin structure and the appearance, more particularly the reduction of wrinkles and pigmentation irregularities. Hence, the cosmetics industry supplies appropriate application instructions with its products, which also include instructions in respect of the age group for which the product is suitable.
If the true age of the user and his or her skin age differ, the consumer is misinformed by the application instructions and would select a product that is unsuitable for his or her skin age.